View photos: NZ v England, fifth one-dayerKEY POINTS:
Any euphoria associated with a one-day series win has promptly subsided for the New Zealand cricket team as the test players begin contemplating what appears to be a far tougher assignment against England.
The victorious one-day squad fragmented in Christchurch yesterday, heading for their home provinces or, in the case of opener Jesse Ryder the operating table, after his 5.30am altercation with a toilet cubicle in a central city pub.
Ryder faces months out of the game after badly injuring his right hand when breaking a window, most of his teammates will be on fitness programmes while awaiting the announcement of the squad for the first test in Hamilton starting March 5.
After wrapping up the five-match ODI series 3-1 in Christchurch on Saturday night, captain Daniel Vettori swiftly quashed any thought of complacency against an opponent positioned two spots higher than seventh-placed New Zealand on the International Cricket Council's test rankings.
Vettori made two obvious points to temper any enthusiasm in the wake of the ODI success - England have added five experienced replacements, including quality seam bowlers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison.
There is also the not insignificant matter of New Zealand's recent test record - if a two-test romp over minnows Bangladesh is discounted.
New Zealand's previous series in South Africa was a disaster for the new skipper, a chastening two-test defeat of epic proportions.
New Zealand were pummelled by 358 runs and an innings and 59 - not once batting 57 overs in a completed innings.
"Our test record hasn't been that flash of late," an understated Vettori admitted.
Only one batsman, retirement-bound former captain Stephen Fleming passed 50 and despite Bangladesh being easily beaten in January only two centurions emerged: Matthew Bell and Jacob Oram.
Vettori said it was clear one strength of their performance in the one-day series would have to be tempered - an aggressive, high-risk batting plan.
"It's probably been our downfall in test series, we haven't been able to put big scores together, we've probably sold ourselves a little bit short."
New Zealand's biggest and longest innings in South Africa was 188 made in 56.4 overs; their shortest 136 in 34.3 as they slumped to the innings defeat in Johannesburg.
That tour followed a glut of one-day and Twenty20 cricket, little first class lead up time and admittedly a highly-rated opponent in their home conditions.
New Zealand now enjoy a home ground advantage but a lack of quality preparation is again a concern with the Black Caps coming off another diet of Twenty20 and ODI cricket.
Vettori said the challenge was to quickly make the adjustment to the longer form of the game, no formality given their recent record.
"We're trying to ride between the two games," he said.
"We want to remain aggressive but we have to remember a test match is five days and not 50 overs. We need the batsmen to bat long periods of time and build first innings scores of 400-500."
While New Zealand does not reassemble until March 1 in Hamilton, England headed south yesterday for two warm-up games against invitation teams.
Originally scheduled to play a two and then three-day game against Otago, the one-day sides progression to the State Shield final has forced a rethink by New Zealand Cricket - and one they possibly welcomed.
Fleming, Matthew Bell, Mathew Sinclair and Peter Fulton were to play today at the University Oval - in all but Fulton's case it is their first opportunity to gauge the English attack.
They may also feature in the second selection to be named later today.
England will include Michael Vaughan, Hoggard, Monty Panesar, Andrew Strauss, and Harmison if he has recovered from a minor back strain.
English coach Peter Moores was excited about moving to the business end of the tour after the disappointment of failing to share the ODI rubber.
"The one-day stuff has to be put on the back burner now. This is a separate operation.
"We have got different personnel, a new captain (Vaughan) .... five guys that have been thinking about the series, working on it."
- NZPA
